


A Place Where I Belong

by QuakebladeZaon



Series: The Brood Chronicles [1]
Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-23
Updated: 2015-06-01
Packaged: 2018-03-31 20:16:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3991357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuakebladeZaon/pseuds/QuakebladeZaon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A/U. Legends speak of a powerful race that bonded with the Saiyans, growing and sharing their stories and strengths. Together they became an unstoppable family, until the mysterious race was attacked and reduced to a handful by a descendant of their own. As the Saiyans befell a similar fate, many thought that to be the end of their story...</p>
<p>Follow Ryu's story as he's thrown into a chaotic world only to be described as Hell, holding onto his sanity by a thread thanks to his late parents' friends and their kids, whom he views as his own brother and sister. He learns where he comes from and what he's meant to be, and that no matter what comes against him, no matter how alone he thinks he is, he's always backed by his friends and family...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

:Notes at the end:

Rain furiously pelted the once-red fields, washing away the crimson stains from fallen armor and sword alike. The grimaces of those now gone permanently settled their mark upon the once lush green area, now void of the life it used to hold. Amongst the bodies, two warriors knelt near a fallen comrade, armor torn to shreds by repeated sword strikes and pike slashes. Body brutally scarred, he pleaded, begging for his best friends to watch over his family for him, to tell his wife he was sorry he couldn't make it home to their son, and then with a gasp for breath, his final tear shed from his trembling vision, rolling down his cheek. Then, he was no more...

It took a hell of a lot of willpower for these two warriors to keep from crying, but they fought their tears as they looked down. The smaller of the two men knelt over and closed his eyes for him, allowing his vision to fade from this world and focus on his time in the afterlife. The grey skies mocked them, threatening a small inch of sunlight for a brief moment and then forcing it to retreat at the sky weeped harder than before. Using a ki skill to slice into the earth, the larger man did so with a heavy swing, then another. The earth beneath his target shifted upwards and the dirt floated at his command, gently crumbling in his 'grip.' With a grunt, he tossed it aside, allowing it to cover a particular patch of blood in the grass nearby. Slowly, they grabbed their fallen brother, lowering his body gently into the hole as they knelt before him. The smaller of the men began to chant.

"Ma'aho onleh Shiankhor oliun. The pact is weakened, but by our promise it will never be broken." His fist raised to his chest in a twisted motion as he spoke, then nodded to his larger friend. The dirt slowly moved through the air back over the hole it once covered, and fell into place slightly elevated at the new inhabitant of its cradle. "May the planet find strength from your vessel as your spirit finds strength from your freedom. Rest easy, my brother..."

Both surviving men stood from their fallen brother's burial spot. They did not need to see anymore... He could finally rest...

Turning away and reaching their small camp mere minutes away from the field, they stood by the fire silently as they removed their scarred helmets. The larger of the men, of a decent muscular build and height, brushed his calloused hand through his short, jet black hair, slightly spiking up even after the attempt to tame it. His onyx black eyes settled on the other man, fiery long hair running between his shoulderblades. His auburn eyes settled on the fire, allowing his muscular but slender frame to warm. Both of them stayed silent, nary a word spoken between them for what seemed like hours, until finally the larger man sighed.

" 'ey Xeros..." he started, unsure of where to continue as his eyes focused on the fire. He mulled the words in his head over and over again, trying to collect his thoughts as auburn eyes settled on him.

"... We have to tell her Braum," he replied softly, "we have no choice. She'll find out about Glenn's passing anyways." Shifting slightly, his fiery hair shone slightly in the light of the now setting sun.

The larger man, Braum, nodded. "Aye... But..." he started again, shaking his head. "...But poor Ryu... The kid is only two... I couldn't imagine what my young'un Zaon would do if I was to pass on." Crossing his arms, Braum stroked his chin with one hand, mind racing as to how they would handle telling Maria of the passing of not only her husband, but the man who had been her best friend and father to their child. It killed him, they had always been close to each other, even their families. Though Zaon, Braum's son, was two years older than the young boy, even they were becoming great friends, almost brothers even.

Xeros nodded, placing his hand on his friend's shoulder with a gentle smile. "Glenn wouldn't want us to kill ourselves over something like this. We'll be there for Maria and Ryu, simple as that. We made that pact so long ago..." At this, Braum laughed, a grin plastered over his face. 

"Yes, I remember that one, I also remember how Glenn couldn't hold his drink either!" Chuckling loudly, Braum stood, stretching his giant limbs as he walked to his tent. "So we'll report to command tomorrow, once we get back, then we'll head to his house, aye?"

Xeros nodded, standing and heading to his own tent. "Yes. Command doesn't know that outside of us our whole unit was wiped out. Luckily for us so was Red Ribbon's, even if it was at great cost." He curled his fist under his chin for a moment before he motioned his gaze towards Braum. "Luckily for us, this was our last deployment. After our payment, we're free from our contracts. Red Ribbon's influence with this battle should have died down enough to create the impact we wanted to make nonetheless. We can only hope that after tonight, we never have to deal with Red Ribbon again. Gero burn in hell for his trickery." Xeros spat to the ground with a sour face. With a groan, Xeros rubbed his shoulder, climbing into his tent and collapsing onto his sleeping bag. Braum did the same as well, fire dying out on the outside as the last traces of sunlight left the sky...

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The battlefield previously a hell on earth the day before now was quiet, and outside of the leftovers and results of the combat that took place the previous day, it was peaceful. This land they lived on was under constant siege by a private army controlled by Dr. Gero, a scientist who cared not for what he experimented on, as long as he had his way with science. He was sick and twisted in too many ways and it made people uneasy, leading to the Rebellion Forces, made up entirely of drafted citizens and volunteers, to fight against his personal army, known as Red Ribbon. This last battle had taken lives on both sides, but with the preserving of two of the Rebellion's greatest warriors, Xeros and Braum, and the loss of all four of the Red Ribbon Army's generals, the losses suffered were nowhere near as great as Red Ribbon's. They would attempt to regroup of course, but this was a large enough blow that could easily be the victory blow.

Morning arrived fully as the sun rose to its full position in the sky, and they had packed up their gear, replacing their war torn steel armor with another iron suit from their commander's stash. They had nothing to help them take all the supplies with them so they grabbed the most important documents and notes they could grab along with the important supplies and as many rations as they could hold. They looked back towards the field, glancing at all the bodies of their fallen friends, of deceased enemies, and the tomb of their brother. With thoughts to themselves of how much they would miss him, they turned their backs to the mass grave, and walked forward.

Late into the morning, they had managed to make it back to base without too much trouble from locals. Good thing too because they were tired and very hungry from rationing the food they did have while on the road. They stepped into the building without another thought, met by claps from their fellow soldiers and higher ranking officers. They stood still in front of the door to the Rebellion leader, Commander Richter, and took in the applause until they were able to escape it within the confines of the office.

"Ah, you're both here." he said, both joy and grief overtaking his expression. He had heard of the results from passersby and waited patiently for soldiers to return before jumping to conclusions, but seeing the forlorn faces of the two men in front of him, he confirmed his guess. Gently he placed his hands upon both of their shoulders, gripping tightly. "What you men sacrificed, other men can enjoy, and we can't thank you enough for your efforts. To thank you and your families, we're giving you double your agreed pay, and have signed this third paycheck to your late friend's wife, so that she can tend to their boy without too much pressure," he stated, handing them another check with a similar amount to theirs into their grasp.

"Sir..." Xeros started, but was quickly silenced by a wave of his hand. Commander Richter shook his head as his blonde hair shimmered slightly. His bright blue eyes took a saddened look as he turned away. "My son... He may not have been as strong as you men, but he wanted to do what he felt was right. He died a hero as far as I'm concerned." he stated simply. Braum grunted slightly as he nodded.

"Glenn sacrificed his life to protect your son and his friends. They all went down fighting. A warrior's death was more than they could ask for given the situation, and I'm just glad they gained that honor from combat." With a gentle smile, he stared back at the commander, who nodded also with a similar expression.

"These medals, take them. I left one for Maria to keep, to show the world what you've done for us and that you're capable of should anyone else threaten our families ever again." He shed a single tear as he saluted both men, both Braum and Xeros returning the favor, and then Richter turned away.

"Your term is over and I understand you want to live with your families in peace. As per our agreement, you are granted leave on honorable discharge as war heroes and will henceforth be known as permanent allies to the Rebellion and Her cause. Should need ever arise for our help, you need but ask, and we shall assist you however we have the power, without question." He grinned to himself, as he turned back to the soldiers who quickly became his friends in this painful war. "Dismissed." 

Stepping out of the office, they looked at each other with incredulous looks. Things here had gotten out of hand fast with the Rebellion but they served like every other man there, to protect their loved ones. With more pride in their step, they walked out and towards the road home, waving to their friends they left behind.

" 'Ey Xeros, let me ask you something..." Braum said without looking from his path. "Do you... Well, um..." Scratching the back of his head, Braum lost his thoughts, grunting to himself.

"Hmm?" Xeros responded, staring at his friend quizzically. Whatever was bothering him must have been important. Usually he had no problem stating the cold hard facts... Maybe Glenn's death hit him harder than he thought?

"Ah, shit, well, I've been thinking..." he started again, gathering his thoughts once more. "I think I'm gonna train little Zaon to be a warrior after all. If anything," he pointed, "yesterday reminded me of how any of us could go at any time, aye?" Xeros nodded at this slowly, processing what his friend was saying.

"... So you would rather your son know how to defend himself, and how to deal with power accordingly..." Running his fingers through his hair, he smiled. "My daughter could afford to learn a trick or two as well. If they decide to stay anywhere near this area when they've grown, war will become a part of them anyways, aye?" This was something they both dreaded. A heavy blow was dealt to Red Ribbon, but who knows how long it would take to finish rooting out all the spies and independant bases!

"Yes, but I'm thinking about moving to the mainland," Braum added in. "The mainland is free of war and I've had enough of it! I want to grow old with my family, not die early or watch them slaughtered."

"Mmh..." was all Xeros replied. He was in agreement as well, this fighting was not what he wanted for his daughter. His love had passed away giving birth, and he'd be damned if his only family would have to sit through what he had lived through. 

"Then we'll move away together eh? We'll take Maria and little Ryu with us, take care of them like Glenn would want! I mean, one of us could become his father figure if we needed to, right?" Grinning at himself, Braum patted Xeros on the shoulder. " 'Sides, I'm sure Glenn would want his son to grow up to be a man's man!"

Xeros couldn't contain his laughter, patting Braum's shoulder as well. With a glint in his eye, he nodded. "That's what friends do, hmm? Even when they're gone, best friends see their jobs through, view their family as their own. Hell, as far as I'm concerned, we're all family. One big family."

Smiling at that last part, Braum nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. "He would've done the same for us... Poor bastard... How about we hit the bar once we've hit home, pour a few shots for the boys and leave a glass out for the stubborn young bull himself?" Xeros nodded silently, his smile never leaving his face, as they walked on. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They reached a mile away from their village when they smelled the smoke, their hearts skipping a beat as they hastened towards the smell. Their fears were answered with the ruins of what was their home, burned down or still burning. "No..." they said in unison, growling to themselves as they looked on. "This can't be...!" They rushed forward, pausing not a second longer, fearful of what they may find.

As they got to the main gate, they saw one of their older friends laying against the sign, a gash in his side. Seeing how bad the injury was from where they were, Xeros growled and turned to Braum.

"You go find our families! I'll do what I can to heal up Garett!" With that, Xeros grabbed into one of his pouches on his iron suit, grabbing a few small herbs as he ground them together to make a paste. Braum immediately ran towards the burning buildings, calling out to any survivors as he bust through whatever blockades he could. 

The injured man named Garett groaned in pain as Xeros spread the salve very lightly over his wound, gasping for air between bouts of agony. Through clouded vision, he glanced up and saw that familiar face, those auburn eyes and that fiery red hair... Grinning, Garett clasped him on the shoulder with his free hand. "Well, look who's back, huh..." His hand flew back towards his mouth as he coughed, blood seeping through his fingers as he grimaced. Xeros shook his head as he consoled him.

"We need to get you somewhere to be examined. I don't have anything to help internal injuries..." With that, Garett shook his head. "Just... Just do me a favor, eh..." Xeros stared intently as he heard his friend's labored breathing, seeing his stomach jump from ragged breaths and intense spasms of pain,. "Those... those bastards... Red Ribbon... They came... Looking f-ugh... for you guys... "

"Shh. Speak later, we need to get you help-" Before he could finish, Garett grabbed the neckline of his armor and pulled him in closer. "No... I need to s-agh... to say it now... b-before I grow... too weak..." he choked out, making sure he had his friend's attention. "That man... H-he want-*hack*... wanted the kids... They hid, but... ugh, his bodyguards were... too strong..."

"Find them... Find them... and... get the fuck out of here... Get anyone e-else out... b-before..." With a last spasm of pain, Garett's eyes gently closed as life left his body. He was no more. Cursing loudly, Xeros rested his hand on Garett's forehead, mentally saying a prayer for him before heading into the village.

Xeros turned towards the buildings, spotting out his own home swiftly. With inhuman speed he reached the door, kicking it down as small bits of debris fell onto the floor. "Raine!!! Raine, where are you!?!?" he called out, coughing slightly at the black smoke threatening to push him back and out of the house. But he would have none of it. He pushed through debris and collapsed ceiling, intent on finding his daughter. He made his way to her room, a soft cry piercing the roaring flames around him. With a swift kick, he pushed the door off its hinges and onto the floor, stepping through the doorway.

The fire melted away almost everything in the room, collapsed ceiling and debris destroying everything else. Heart stopping for a moment, he looked around, only to see the closet door burst open as a little girl ran towards him. She grabbed onto his leg, sobbing loudly. "Daddy!!! Waaaaaaaaaah!" she hiccuped, and Xeros lifted her into his arms. He held onto her tightly as he pushed back through the fire and debris he had all but ignored before. With a quick leap through the threshold, he stepped towards the town's center and looked back up at his home, just in time to catch the building collapse into itself. Everything that he owned, that his late wife had owned, that their daughter owned, had been lost. With a painful expression, he shook his head, shaking it away as he felt a tug on his face.

"Daddy... Where's Wyu and Zaon? Fine, wight?" she hiccuped inbetween sobs. Xeros looked towards their houses and was about to take off, when he saw two large figures and a small one emerge from one of the houses. He smiled as he walked with his daughter towards them.

"Braum! Tyria! Zaon! Glad you guys are safe!" he called out. Braum stopped in front of him, holding a blanket bundled up in his arms. Xeros had turned his smile away, donning a quizzical expression. "Where's Maria?" he asked, but Braum shook his head. "She..." he started, then looked at the blanket in his arms, and peeled back a corner to reveal the two-year-old Ryu, still sleeping from exhaustion. Xeros nodded, then looked back to Tyria, her head being freed of a protective cloth. Her long, black hair hung low on her back as it slunk strand by strand into place. Her piercing blue eyes looked solemnly at the young baby in her husband's arms, then turned away towards her own son, who was taking it better than they had anticipated. 

Young Zaon, along with Raine, was four years old. Raine was scared out of her mind, but Zaon had acted like an adult, hiding and protecting his mom from the fires and debris that threatened them. When his father Braum saw him standing in front of his mom, leading her around the smoldering remains that would block their path, he couldn't help but feel proud. But there were important matters at hand that threatened them immediately. He placed his hand on his son's head with a smile, and led them both out before going for Maria and Ryu's home, where he found poor Maria, buried under a support beam with Ryu crying a few feet in front of her, flames threatening to mingle with his covering.

"We need to get to the mainland. Soon. This place isn't safe." Xeros spoke up, pointing towards where the shoreline could be found through the trees surrounding the once-beautiful village. "We can catch a boat at the next town if we hurry." Braum and Tyria nodded, gripping the kids they had tightly. And with that, they all were off, stopping only once sunset had greeted them. They made camp that night, not speaking of anything that happened yet. They would wait until they had gotten onto the boat. After all, why tarry with conversation when they could almost smell the Red Ribbon goons hunting for them?

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saltwater and mold permeated their sense of smell as they sat in a guest room on the ship, two full sized bunk beds along the walls for them to sit on. They had arrived a little after midday after clearing camp in the morning. Zaon and Raine played in the corner by themselves while the adults stared at the baby held in Tyria's arms. 

"Poor thing... In just two days he's lost both his parents and his home. I can't imagine how he would feel if he understood all this." Tyria sighed at the baby in her arms, then frowned towards the two men sitting on the beds with her. Xeros sat across from her and her husband, crossing his arms across his chest. 

"Curse those Red Ribbon bastards. We thought we were clearing them out around their source but they sent out strike teams to gather our children for Gero's experiments. Who knows who's kids they've gotten by now." Xeros grumbled, not wanting to think about what he just said, but still sighed. Braum furrowed his brow in contemplation.

"Nonetheless, we have the kids with us, and both Ryu's parents are gone from him. We have to raise him. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to my best friend's son after he asked us to watch over him. I know you feel the same way Xeros." Braum said.It was true, because they had helf their friend to such a high regard after their time together, they couldn't bare to lapse on his final request.

Hesitatingly, Xeros spoke up again. "In that case... maybe I could take him? I love my daughter to death but I always did wonder what it would be like to have a son." At this, Braum laughed heartily, grinning at his friend. 

"Is that what you're thinking about huh? Well nonetheless, you are more than welcome to him. I'm sure you'd raise him well." With a smirk he added in, "Also it would make sense that his uncle take over if his father would be missing, right?"

Xeros nodded, his expression paused, then smiled. "There are some things I want to keep in the family, you know, and I think he could improve far beyond what me or his father could accomplish. Maybe one day our kids will make the same bond, hmm?"

Braum's eyes softened at that and smiled to himself. "We are all family after all. Perhaps moreso even now as we come together in these rough times." 

Stretching out his muscles, Braum laid back in their bed, resting his head on the pillow. "So, once we reach the mainland, we find a place in the country, hmm? Nice, big, open fields, forests as far as the eye could see for wild game, and peace and quiet... I could see us growing old in a place like that." Tyria gently placed the baby into Xeros's arms, then laid next to her husband, smiling as she curled in his arms. "Mmh... I could live with that." Gently kissing her forehead, their breathing evened out and soon they were asleep, leaving Xeros to himself with Ryu in his arms.

"You will grow up to do great things, my boy. What great things you do will be up to you, but keep your friends in your heart, and you will find your way." With a smile, he watched the baby squirm slightly before relaxing against his chest. Promptly after, the baby began to breathe steadily in rhythm, signaling he had fallen asleep. 

Gently placing the baby into a small crib the captain graciously provided to them, he watched his own daughter staring at the little boy, a smile on her face. This caused him to well up with happiness, his daughter accepting her cousin as her brother meaning more to him now than she could ever know.

After a while of placing the recent events into order from the past few days, he laid back, accompanied by his daughter who had yawned and laid on his chest. Smiling as he heard her almost immediately fall asleep, he kissed her forehead, both hands behind his head as he himself had drifted off to sleep...

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They eventually reached the mainland within two days, their old clothes replaced for more traditional ones, and they searched a map for a good spot to live: Area 439, also known as Mt. Paozu. Soon enough they built their own houses along a lake near an open field and forest. They looked out onto the water with their children and smiled, noticing their neighbors from across the water. They soon met and became friends with this couple, their own son just turning two years old, just like little Ryu. With laughter and food, these three weary travelers became fast friends with their new neighbors, Son Goku and Son Chi Chi. Along with them, their kids would become great friends also, adding the fourth member to their team, Son Gohan...

 

 

Prologue END

 

 

It's been a LONG time since I've decided to write at all. After reading a LOT... and I mean a LOT... of GohanxVidel fanfictions and a particularly interesting take on Gohan's life called "Path of a Warrior" I decided I would take a risk. Decided I would add gore to push some points and wounds home, but outside of that, no lemons. Or limes. Maybe one lime, we'll see when the Buu saga comes up. :3

Keep in mind this is AU but outside of some minor changes I'll be keeping the story of the original Z fighters as close to the actual story as I can. I'm not going to be messing with any specific romances, and anything that the characters I've added may do as far as relationships will most likely deal with other OCs. 

Another thing: This story will revolve around Ryu mostly, the prologue kind of sets up part of his past and how he develops afterwards. This story will be brutal at times, or at least I'll try to make it so, so if you don't like emotional abuse (not from his family mind you!) or torture, you may not want to read too much further. If you don't then thank you for at least reading this far!

Please, rate fairly. Constructive criticism is appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

_Kill... Destroy... Conquer..._

_I'm born to kill. I'm born to tear my enemies asunder. My foes will lie before me in worship, or in death. They will know the..._

_Wait, no... This isn't right, I don't want to kill anyone! Why would I ever..._

_Urgh... What's going on... with me... No, I don't want to kill! Don't! Stop! You can't make me, please no! I won't..._

_Xeros, Braum, Tyria..._

_Zaon, Raine... Mom! Dad! Someone please! HELP ME!_

_Why won't you help me!? I need you! Don't you care about me!? Or do you think I'm a monster!? Fine! I'll kill you all!_

_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH !_

"AGH!" Ryu gasped as he sat up, struggling for air. Sweat beaded his forehead and soaked his clothes. He pulled off his blanket as he sat up and onto the side of his bed, feeling the sheets below him with his hands that were soaked too. Keeping his gaze to the ground, he tried to keep his grasp on his wandering thoughts.

_Those dreams... They're too real..._ he thought to himself as he struggled to breathe still. The fresh images of himself ripping into people's bodies and destroying the ones he loved brought his heart to his throat.He would have continued to think to himself, but was interrupted by the door opening. He turned his head slightly upwards to see Xeros and Raine standing at the door, Raine yawning as she walked in. Xeros kept a calm, yet attentive gaze upon the boy as he followed."Ryu, what's wrong?" Raine asked as she went to sit by the four-year-old, but saw the sheets soaking wet. "Eww, did you pee?" she asked as she made a face. Ryu shook his head furiously. "N-no, I didn't! I..." he said, but lost his train of thought, deep blue eyes settling in to a despaired look. Xeros patted his shoulder as he smiled.

"Whatever it was, it was just a nightmare, hmm? It means there's nothing to worry about, Ryu." Xeros spoke as he walk towards the closet of the room, pulling out new sheets. "You're sweating profusely. Go take a quick shower and I'll make your bed for you, alright?" he said as he smiled to the boy. Ryu nodded as he returned the smile, grabbing a fresh set of clothes from the drawer near his bed, and proceeded outside and into the cold air.

It chilled his sweat-covered skin as he walked towards the lake, an elevated rock formation causing water to fall from about eight feet above the water below. With a sigh, he stripped himself of his sweat-stained clothes and stepped under the waterfall. The icy cold water caused him to shiver but soon relaxed him as he felt the grime wash off his body, cleansing him. _Why are these dreams coming to me..._ Ryu questioned himself. Since his fourth birthday not long ago, he had begun to have very violent dreams. Not just of being violent himself, but being murderous, killing his friends and family and slaughtering innocent people. The last thing he remembered was digging into the insides of Raine, the thought making bile rise to his throat. Suppressing the urge to release his stomach's contents into the water in front of him, he pushed it out of his mind. Satisfied with himself after another few minutes under the water, he jumped out onto the solid ground nearby. Using a towel, he dried himself off quickly to avoid the cold air as much as possible until he was dried enough. Satisfied, he dressed himself into a fresh pair of black pajamas, then walked back inside to be greeted by Raine.

"Ryu..." she started, looking at him sadly. His gaze met hers with curiosity.

"Um... yes?" he asked, watching her reaction.

She teared slightly as she looked down. "Was it the bad dream again...?" she choked out, keeping herself from crying. He had told her already about his nightmares where he would hurt people, and she wasn't scared, but sad for him. She couldn't take the dreams away from her friend and it hurt her.

"Raine, it's okay. I won't hurt you, I promise." he said, smiling at her as she glanced back up at him with a smile.

"I believe you Ryu!" she gleamed as she hugged him tightly. Ryu obliged with his own arms wrapping around her. He nodded to her once, then walked back down the hall to his bedroom, where Xeros had just finished changing his sheets.

"Are you sure you're okay, Ryu? If you need to talk let me know, alright?" he said, walking back towards the door as Ryu climbed into bed.

"I'm sure, uncle. Thank you." he simply said, wrapping himself in the clean, comfortable sheets. Xeros nodded and smiled gently.

"Alright then. G'night kid." Xeros closed the door, leaving Ryu to his thoughts, but he was already determined to just sleep it off. He didn't want to think about the nightmare anymore and with luck, he may be able to just drift off to sleep without another dream.

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The sun rose high into the sky above the Son household as a gentle breeze swept the excess heat away, making the late morning pleasurable. Leaves and petals once fallen now danced across the air in a mysterious unknown passion, decorating the winds with color and liveliness. The grass seemingly swayed along with the dance in a rhythm that helped to make the country area serene and graceful. Bushes and tree tops rustled gently and added music to the performance of the wind, spicing it up with bird songs and animals skittering gently through the area.

Chi Chi sighed as she removed her teapot from the fire on the stove, grabbing a few cups from the cabinet. A beautiful day indeed, but for some reason, the subject of interest was not pleasant. The cups in her hand cluttered tightly to her fingers as she carried the pot, along with the five cups, towards the living room. Placing them down on the living room table she poured into the cups with the tea, picking up on the conversation.

"They're gettin' brave again. But they don't have the troops, we know this. Before we left our island their kidnappings 'ad gone down to a minimum. Infact, the last village that was attacked was ours, and even then, judgin' from the amount of bodies we saw, they couldn't have gotten more than maybe a handful of the children and a couple of adults." Braum's brow furrowed as he glared at the T.V. announcing another attack by the Red Ribbon Army's private force. Xeros, who had been sitting near him, nodded as he folded his arms. His face contorted into one of a painful remembrance, growling.

"Whatever the reason for them starting their assaults again, it's happening." he said, turning his finger towards the screen. "It's true that we never wiped out his private force, but as strong as they are they're only fifteen men and women altogether." Clenching his hand into a fist, he shakes his head. "They're plotting something, there's no way they can fight the Rebellion, but they have something as a backup." Braum grumbled to himself as Goku shook his head, frowning.

"I swear I had defeated them when I was younger. I just wish they would have stayed gone." he sighed, crossing his arms. Chi Chi leaned towards him and placed her hand on his to comfort him.

"It's okay Goku, you did what you could. No one can blame you for that." she smiled, as the others took the hint and nodded.

"Aye, ya did good, Son. Don't blame yerself for the battles we faced, because fer all we know we may not 'ave won them had ya not done what ya 'ave when ya could." Braum grinned as he patted Goku's shoulder, forcing a smile from the young man. "Besides, should they come 'ere an' try anythin', we're much stronger than any of them I'm sure. They'll just get another arse whoopin' they won't forget!" Braum laughed loudly as Goku responded to the grin in kind.

Xeros simply nodded. "This is why I suggest we teach our kids to fight. Not for war, like Braum and I, but for self defense and to protect those we care about." Xeros said. "Raine may not be interested in the fighting portion but she's showing a knack for healing talents. Ryu however..." he began as he sighed.

Braum's ears caught as he turned his head towards his friend. "The lad not showin' a knack in yerr ki spell school, huh? Maybe he wants tah learn tah be a man's man and work with his muscles like me an' my boy!" he taunted and laughed, in friendly play of course, but nonetheless taunting.

Xeros shook his head. "He's been taking my martial arts lessons in stride and learning well. But since his fourth birthday he's been having these weirds dreams, he says. They're shaking him up pretty badly. Just last night his bed was drenched in sweat, I had to get him to go out and shower while I changed his sheets." He sighed lightly as he looked at the floor in front of him sadly.

"Kids will have bad dreams, Xeros. As long as you're not forcing him to relive them, I think you're handling it right." Chi Chi simply stated. Tyria nodded in agreement, but held a similar saddened look.

"Poor boy, lost both his parents and now he's troubled so. It's unfair." She wrapped her arms around her husband's waist in a hug, Braum resting a hand on her head.

"Aye, life isn't fair, but ya think the boy could get a little break from bein' knee deep in shit, right?" Braum said, raising a hand to his chin.

"Ryu's got a good heart. As long as his heart remains where it needs to be and in control, he'll be fine." Goku stated as he smiled. "He's also got a lot of energy. They all do. Well..." he added, grinning sheepishly, "Gohan isn't quite ready for any of that yet, so he'll stay out the picture for a whi-"

"Oh no, Goku! I'm not gonna have my future scholar fail his classes because he was out playing with the guys in the woods all day!" Chi Chi snapped, face contorted in anger. Goku stared at her questioningly, but Chi Chi ignored it.

"Aw come on dear, it's for self defense! He should have the right to just that!" he sheepishly smiled as he raised his hands defensively. "Besides, Gohan isn't even in school, you're teaching him at home!"

"And the last thing I want him to do is go out and join a gang before he even has the option to get his Ph. D. and become a doctor and be successful! If you want to go out and be a soldier, fine, but you will NOT take our little four-year-old boy out with a bald monk who thinks marriage is the end of your life, an old pervert martial arts master, a short mime, a three-eyed man who nearly killed you as a kid and a guy who likes hitting on little girls!" she exclaimed, remembering that last scenario from dealing with Yamcha when she was younger. The thought made her laugh internally because she had learned that he didn['t mean any of it, but when she was angry she wouldn't hold back on anything she thought at the moment. Goku gaped as the others coughed lightly and shifted.

"But Chi Chi, they're not that bad! They're my friends!" he said, trying to lighten her mood, but Chi Chi growled at him, causing him to jump back.

"No gangs! No piercings! No fighting! That's FINAL!" she yelled as she stood up and walked into the kitchen. Goku just shrugged as his face grew sad, until Braum chuckled lightly and placed his hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Give 'er time, friend, it may take 'er a while tah get used tah the idea of trainin' after all the stories she heard from us, eh?" Flashing a grin his way, Braum stood up and stretched.

Tyria however, looked up at her husband and frowned. "She has a point you know, and I don't want little Zaon to grow up without a proper education." she stated simply as Braum looked at her with a smirk.

"O' dear, please don't tell me she got tah you now, huh?" he said, but Tyria wasn't moved.

"I'll allow Zaon to be trained because that's one thing we both agree on, but in return I want him to get an education. And no, no amount of muscle flexing is going to get him out of this one, you hear?" she said, a devilish smirk appearing on her face as Braum sighed.

"Aye, I hear ya. It's probably a good thing really, muscle without mind is a dangerous thing, hmm?" he said, thinking about the idea of his son growing not only stronger, but smarter than him, and it pleased him. While some would aim to be the best, Braum learned early that while being great is pleasing, once he had started his family, he dreamed of his son becoming bigger than him, to carry on his legacy with so much more than he had. A pleasant smile forming on his face, he nodded. "Alright dear, after trainin' or before trainin', he gets a healthy dose of the books."

Tyria smiled gently at his answer and hugged him again. "Thank you." she whispered, then released him and looked towards the other two sitting down.

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While the adults in the house conversed, the kids lay out in the grass outside, having just run through the nearby forest together playing tag and now resting. They had begun to talk about different things kids would be worried about, but Ryu kept quiet. His face held a solemn, thoughtful look upon it as he simply stared into the sky. He was only four, but after his birthday, not only had he been plagued with horrible dreams, but it was as if he had matured much faster than what would normally be appropriate for his age.

"Hey Ryu, whatcha thinkin' about?" Zaon called to his side.

Ryu's still silence was interrupted as he jerked for a moment, then turned his head to look over at his friend, shaking his head. "Nothing, just... things." he replied. He had been thinking about those dreams again, but he didn't want anyone else to know that didn't need to know.

But this didn't stop Zaon as he kept glaring, onyx eyes focused intently on his target as he scratched his short, black, spiky hair.. "Come on, tell us!" he urged, flipping around and onto his stomach as he stared. Ryu shook his head again and quietly mumbled to himself.

Gohan turned himself over as well and grinned. "Come on guys, play nice, okay?" he spoke, a large smile on his face. Zaon nodded and smiled back, but Ryu kept his gaze where it had previously been above him.

Raine stared at him concerned, hesitating before she spoke. "Ryu... are you okay?" she asked, letting her red hair fall to her shoulders. Large, emerald eyes looked him over in concern, the heat of her stare alerting his brain to her actions.

He sighed as he refused to move his eyes. "Yeah... I'm okay." he replied. Raine kept looking at him worried, but he shrugged it off and never moved his head or his eyes. "It's nothing. Really."

"You're lying..." Raine pouted as she turned around to look at the other boys, but glanced back to see if he had moved at all. When she was confident that he hadn't, she gave a "Hmph!" and kept her look on the other two boys.

_What's happening to me...?_ he questioned. It was getting to the point where he couldn't get enough sleep at night now and it was wearing him out mentally. While his friends were close to him, the only two he ever told about these nightmares was his uncle and Raine and while she didn't seem affected by it as much as he thought she would be, he could still see a slight tinge of fear in her eyes when he talked about it. It was painstakingly brutal, and he didn't want to feel that same disappointment in all his friends.

"Hey, really, you look sad. You can talk to us you know." Zaon tried again, trying to get his friend to open up.

Ryu simply chuckled to himself and shook his head. "I know... It's something I don't want to talk about right now though. Maybe another time." Ryu's muscles relaxed a little and Zaon stared for a moment, before shrugging.

"Just don't wait too long, 'kay?" he finished, and then turned when he sensed something coming their way. When the figures were clear to him, he smiled.

"Mom! Dad! Hi!" he yelled out to them as four adults hovered over them.

Braum, with his wife in his arms, grinned at his son as he landed, then after setting his wife down, placed a hand on his head. "Aye, son. Did ya have fun wit' yer friends?" he started. "We have somethin' we need ta discuss wit' ya boy, about yer trainin'. Let's go in the woods and talk."Braum took his wife into his arms again, and without warning, took off into the woods. Zaon promptly followed. This left Goku and Xeros with the other three kids, then Goku spoke.

"Come on son, we're gonna go help your mother with dinner, 'kay?" he beamed at his son, who returned in kind with a large smile.

" 'Kay! Bye guys, we'll play again tomorrow!" he called as he jumped on his dad's shoulder. Then, in a flash, they took off into the air.

Xeros looked down at the two with a smile as he sat with them. "So kids, I wanted to talk to you two about something..." he began, his tone serious, but face still eased with a warm smile. Raine and Zaon looked up at him as he spoke, confused. "I want to ask you two something very important, so answer my questions as honestly as you can." After a minute long pause, he began again. "What do you think about fighting?"

Raine shook her head after a few seconds, frowning. "I don't like it. It's scary!" she said, which pleased him as he heard her words.

Ryu's answer hadn't come yet though, and this made him watch the boy with interest as he looked to the ground in front of him and thought hard. "I... I don't think I enjoy killing, but fighting for the sake of fighting has always been fun to me." he answered, as honestly as he could at least.

Xeros laughed quietly to himself as he looked at the boy. _He is his father's son_ , he thought to himself. "Both are good answers. Not everyone who fights likes fighting, and most who do don't like to fight to harm others. It's for the sake of having fun with the combat itself, of pitting mind and body against another to see who can conquer each other. Which leads to the next question... If you had no choice but to fight, Raine, would you?" he asked, watching his daughter's face as she frowned.

"I don't want anyone to get hurt..." she struggled to answer. "I don't know." Satisfied with her honesty, he turned to Ryu, then asked him.

"And you... If you had no choice but to kill, would you?" he asked.

Ryu's head turned for an answer that should have been obvious, but seemed to be too confusing to understand. After a few moments, he nodded his head. "If forced without any choice whatsoever that someone I care about would get hurt... I would." he stated simply.

With a nod, Xeros smiled again. "Raine, you gave the same answer your mother gave when she was asked those questions at your age. And Ryu..." he said, grinning now, "you gave the same answer your father did. I asked you these questions because those who fight don't neccesarily choose to, but are forced to. And those who kill don't neccesarily choose to, but are forced to. You understand?" he asked, then watched as both kids nodded their heads. "Good. The last question I have will be one for each of you. Our... 'clan' let's say, would ask children when they reached their fifth birthday questions that would determine their place in the clan, from healer to warrior and so on. I know you two much more than someone who would ask you the questions in the clan, so I was able to narrow it down to two questions. So Raine..." he asked as he turned to her. "You don't want to fight, but you don't want anyone to get hurt. I'll offer to teach you basic arts to defend yourself, then I can bring out your innate powers to be able to heal. Would you like this?" he asked, pleased once more when she nodded her head with a smile.

"And Ryu... your father and I were of the same position, and you have that same potential. Physically you are strong, but your greatest strength lies in your mind. You've noticed how you're maturing faster than the others as far as your emotions and thoughts, right?" he asked. When Ryu nodded his head, he nodded back. "Your brain is preparing you for the ritual that will unlock your ability to control ki, or life energy, in ways normal martial artists can't. This power is dangerous, and can easily kill people, but with training and responsibility, you can learn to restrain your power and use it to protect those you care about." Ryu nodded as he listened, provoking Xeros to continue. "It's a highly ranked position because it's rare, not even descendants of those who've obtained this rank continue their parents' line very often, but you've been gifted with that chance. Will you accept this responsibility?" he asked, watching Ryu's expressions as he thought.

Ryu's face contorted into a thoughtful look, eyes closed as he mulled his head over multiple times to confirm what he thought he wanted, or even, should do. His uncle would not make him take the ritual if he didn't want it, he knew, but something about it drew him to it. The fact his father was one of this rank and he was able to continue his work made him want to take on the challenge. At this point he figured that want and should were very similar in this case, and nodded as he finally opened his eyes. "I'll do it." he said, a newfound confidence lighting his face up.

Xeros smiled once more and stood, taking both kids by the hand as he rose up into the sky with them. "Then let's begin your lessons, kids. It'll be a lot of work but I know you guys can do it." And with that, they went off towards a clearing near their house.

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"Concentrate! Focus your thoughts!" Xeros commanded as he watched Ryu with interest. He knew Ryu had power, but he never thought within the few hours he began to train him that Xeros would be able to teach him to give his ki form so soon.

Ryu's form was still now, sitting cross-legged amidst the fields near their house, his hands raised to sit horizontally together, but far enough apart to allow a ball to fit between them. His brow furrowed as he concentrated, sweating from the mental tension his mind went through. Though his body was loose, his mind was definitely a different story. Within another ten minutes, Ryu felt a tug at his center. With anticipation, he focused on it, then gently ebbed it from his center towards his arms. The heat that flowed through him was intense, but pleasant, flowing as if his blood ran through his body along a second life force through separate veins. When it reached his palms, he proceeded to release it, causing the ki within him to emanate out into his hands in the form of a small ball. When it solidified just slightly and held its form in his hands, he grinned. The energy glowed a crimson red, different than the bright gold he saw form within Goku's hands before, along with his uncle's which had a whitish tint to it.

"Hmm... Interesting indeed." Xeros mused, watching the energy formed in the youth's hands, a smirk across his hands. Ryu's focus stayed on the energy, forcing it to stay in its form as he was draining himself of power just to keep it formed. Holding on until the very last bit, he felt it dissipate after what felt like a minute of holding it, falling forwards and onto his hands as he struggled to hold himself up. Gasping for air and sweating heavily from the exertion upon his body and spirit, he grinned to himself at his accomplishment, remembering the words of Xeros before he had begun the exercise.

' _You may not be able to summon up your energy for a while yet, even our fastest learners when we were young had to wait at least two days before they could even see a spark of their energy._ ' he had told him, but he managed to do it within the day.

"Very well done, Ryu, you held it for a solid twelve minutes. Even after we had learned how to do this exercise, we could only hold it for a mere few seconds at first." Xeros beamed at his student, placing a hand on his shoulder as he congratulated his tired pupil. Ryu just pushed his arms forward and fell backward, a grin on his face as he kept sucking in precious air. Raine, who had been watching the whole time, was clapping excitedly now. She had tried and though she could feel the spark, she couldn't bring it out. She may not have been as fast as Ryu but she progressed incredibly well through her training. Watching his daughter and his nephew, his thoughts raced at their future endeavors, unknown to anyone but still fun to dream about.

"Phew... This really... takes... a lot... out of you..." Ryu huffed, arms still outstretched as he lay back. Raine jumped on top of him and hugged him, causing him to groan in pain.

"Good job! You did reeeeally well!" she giggled as she hugged. Xeros shook his head. "Kids... Well, do you think this is enough for one day? You both have made a respectable amount of progress, as much as an understatement that is." With a quick turn, he pointed to the house as both kids exhaustively nodded. Before they could get much farther, though, a familiar ki approached them. Turning towards the direction it came from, they saw the forms of Braum and Zaon flying towards them, Zaon sitting on his father's shoulders with a wide smile on both their faces.

Once they had caught up and landed, they chuckled towards their friends. "So, how'd yer trainin' go guys?" Braum smirked, a gleam in his eye.

Xeros simply shrugged, but let his excitement be known in his face with a large grin. "Not too bad, I think. These kids aren't too shabby." Pointing his finger into the air, he motioned towards Ryu. "He's just like his father you know."

"O' really now? How about we grade their progress then, hmm?" Braum stated, clasping his giant hands together. "Zaon against Ryu, Budokai rules, with lines bein' the arena. Sounds tempting huh?"

"Hmm..." Xeros rubbed his chin and glanced over at Zaon, then at Ryu, and smiled. "I'm confident Ryu can win. This will be good exercise." he stated as he looked back towards Ryu. A determined smile was on his face as he stared back at Zaon, who returned his look in kind.

The intensity between the two boys grew in front of the two men, which pleased them greatly. Raine watched on in awe as she felt their invisible energy seemingly clash against each other in mid air as Braum and Xeros drew lines in the grass and dirt around them, and watched the two kids as they both jumped backwards to their respective sides and took fighting stances. Zaon took a basic fighting stance modified by his now-growing muscles, fists raised to his sides as his arms stayed close to his ribs. Ryu took on a stance he heard Xeros talk about, that he felt comfortable in. His left fist sat close to his stomach while his right hand took a very peculiar claw position in front of him. Both Braum and Xeros noticed this and laughed to themselves.

"So Xeros, ya taught him his father's stance, eh? Ya dog!" he laughed. "This will be interesting, my six-year-old boy versus your four-year-old nephew!" Braum motioned for both fighters to stand ready, then raised his fist down into the ground. "FIGHT!"

Within that moment, they rushed at each other, Zaon throwing the first punch which Ryu blocked with his left forearm. The sting of Zaon's raw strength against his arm was great, but he was prepared. Swiftly, he grasped Zaon's fist with the same arm and twisted it to the side as he threw his right claw towards his chest. Zaon countered with his left elbow. Throwing each other's weights into their arms, they pushed off of each other to back off and resume their stances. Zaon smirked as he swapped his stance around, Ryu simply shaking his left arm a little before returning it to its original spot, face concentrating on his friend's stance.

Zaon rushed him again, throwing a punch towards his head, but Ryu ducked. Zaon proceeded with a flurry of punches and ended with a flying kick towards his temple, but Ryu blocked his friend's attacks and threw his leg under Zaon's grounded leg to throw him from his stance. Zaon jumped back and then rushed towards him again, pressuring Ryu towards the edge of the ring. Ryu looked back a second and growled, turning just in time to see a punch thrown his way. On instinct, Ryu dodged, jumping out from the edge but was caught by Zaon's roundhouse he threw behind him as he saw Ryu dodge. Grasping his side Ryu coughed, then dodged to the side as he heard Zaon's next attack come towards him. Zion's heel dug into the dirt a few inches, then he ripped it from the ground and turned towards his target again.

"Zaon! Use it now!" Braum yelled, a gleam in his eye. Zaon grinned once more as he heard his father's words, then ran towards Ryu at great speeds. With a yell, Zaon threw his fist far back, Ryu noticing his ki rising. His eyes widened in recognition. Zaon learned to use ki to strengthen his strikes! Before he could respond though, Zaon's fist collided with his stomach. The fist twisted into his intestines, causing him to fly back towards the edge and slide near the line. Grabbing his stomach, he let out a cough and grimaced at the sight before him.

_Blood_... Standing shakily, he bared his teeth at his friend, who stood there with that same smirk, raising his fist as it glowed with ki.

"Hahaha! Zaon, finish it!" Braum yelled, but Xeros simply nodded to Ryu.

"Now, Ryu, remember the story I told you of your father's favorite skill? I want you to remember how I described his movements and energy. Unleash it." he said.

Braum growled at him."There's no way! Zaon, finish it now!" he yelled, Zaon nodding as he rushed his ki into his hand again. But Ryu was already standing and breathing evenly. Zaon was thrown off at his actions, staring intently. Ryu's face calmed, eyes closed as he seemed to... relax. Zaon growled as he rushed at him.

"No! Not this time friend!" Zaon yelled as he rushed towards him with his fist drawn back. Ryu kept his stance, then immediately his eyes shot open, hands forming ki as he threw them back, stance shifting to match his movements. With great force, the ki within his hands forming a larger, fiercer ball, then threw it forward right as Zaon threw his fist towards him, right into the beam.

"Ddraig Cannon!" The beam widened from three ki points within his palm, fusing together and magnifying as it blasted into Zaon's fist, blinding him and knocking him back towards the edge and over on the other side. Braum stared at him with awe, shaking his head.

"No way... he's already learned that...?" Braum said in wonder. Raine had gasped and held her hands to her mouth, astonishment overtaking her from the sight of the attacks they both unleashed. Zaon grumbled as he lay back on the ground, panting heavily.

Xeros simply smiled as he crossed his arms. "I didn't think he'd actually be able to use that skill... I'm glad I told him to try!" he declared, then laughed as Braum looked at him angrily, brow furrowed.

"Ya lie! There's no way he could've learned that skill without ya there teachin' him exactly how ta do it!"

Xeros simply continued laughing as he watched Ryu, who had fallen to his knees and begun to breathe heavily, a large smile on his face. "Just like his father..." Xeros also smiled at the thought, watching the boy with interest and pride.

Braum simply gazed back at the boy, unable to contain his smile. "He did, didn't he... O' this is gonna be interesting indeed!" Braum cheered as he walked towards his son, patting him on the shoulder. "Ya did good my boy, grow stronger and win next time!" he said, walking towards their house with Zaon.

Zaon nodded towards Ryu before he left, a large smile on his face. "Good match! I'll look forward to winning next time though!" he exclaimed, then was gone.

Ryu caught his breath as he stared at his hands in astonishment. He had not only controlled his energy, he learned to manipulate it into his first attack within the moment of need, and above all else, he had learned his father's favorite skill for himself. Joy overtook him as he clenched his fists and shot them up in the air with a cheer.

Xeros walked towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You did well." Ryu nodded as he rubbed his gut, wincing slightly.

"How did you know I'd be able to do that?" Ryu questioned, watching his uncle curiously as he began to walk away.

Xeros stopped for a moment, turning his head very slightly. "I didn't. But you're your father's son, and it was worth a shot."

With that, he was off towards their house, leaving Ryu in the field ring to get tackled/congratulated by Raine. Musing to himself, he looked towards the sky as he walked, smiling. _Your son would make you proud, Glenn. Maria. But he needs help and guidance I can't offer him_. Sighing, he scratched his head. _Those dreams are getting serious Glenn. I fear he may fall victim to them like the rest of our clan_. His face saddened for a moment, before disappearing into the house. The future is uncertain, but this day was a step in the right direction for the boy.


End file.
